The mild eruptions of Italy's Stromboli volcano are so frequent and numerous that an entire style of volcanism - strombolian - is named after the volcano. Characteristics of strombolian eruptions are nearly continous lava fountaining and emissions of gas, ash, and volcanic bombs. The sight of lava spraying into the night sky has led folks to nickname Stromboli the "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean." This natural-color satellite image shows the island of Stromboli, the volcano's cloud-covered summit (about 924 m; 3,030 ft above sea level), and a thin volcanic plume on 13 January 2011. The current eruption has continued uninterrupted since 1932. Image courtesy of NASA.

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